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Owner of JMC and Shineray Announces Arrival of New Chinese Pickup Truck to Latin America. Meet the Grand Avenue, a CNG-Powered Pickup That Promises to Revolutionize the Automotive Market.
Argentina is the country of origin for more than half of the medium pickups currently sold in Brazil, such as Ford Ranger, Nissan Frontier, Toyota Hilux, and Volkswagen Amarok. The Chevrolet S10 and Mitsubishi L200 are manufactured in Brazil, and the Fiat Titano is assembled in Uruguay; however, some local importers turn to trucks imported from China to compete in one of the most competitive segments of the neighboring country. Thus, the arrival of a new CNG-powered Chinese pickup truck is announced.
New CNG-Powered Pickup Delivers 242 HP of Power
The company Ralitor, representative of Jiangling Motors Corporation (JMC) and Shineray brands, has announced that it will sell the JMC Grand Avenue this year, a medium pickup with a gasoline engine capable of running on compressed natural gas (CNG). This engine is a turbocharged 2.3 four-cylinder with direct injection, generating 242 hp of power and 40.9 kgfm of torque. A 2.3 turbo diesel option with 170 horsepower and 46 kgfm will also be offered.
The two engines of the new Chinese pickup truck are from Ford’s Puma family, as the American brand owns about 30% of JMC. Regardless of the engine option, the CNG-powered pickup can have a six-speed manual transmission from Magna or an eight-speed automatic from ZF, with a choice of 4×2 or 4×4 traction. Both have a load capacity of over one ton and can tow 3.5 tons.
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The 7-seater Toyota that seems too cheap to exist in Brazil: Rush has a 1.5 engine, manual or automatic option, and a converted price close to R$ 81,000, while here families need to aim for much more expensive SUVs.
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The 2012 Mitsubishi Pajero Dakar diesel shows 314,000 km and still draws attention for its reputation for durability; the seven-seater 4×4 SUV handles trails, but signs of severe use may conceal losses for used car buyers.
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Peugeot publicly acknowledged the errors of the PureTech engine, which caused serious failures in hundreds of thousands of cars, and introduced the new Turbo 100 as a definitive solution, a 1.2 turbo tested for over 3 million kilometers that replaces the faulty belt with a more durable chain.
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Automatic cars become ‘cheap’ in Brazil, and models from Toyota, Hyundai, Nissan, and Honda appear for R$ 65,000 with up to 120 hp, CVT transmission, 482 liters of trunk space, keyless entry, and six airbags to tackle traffic without a clutch.
Understand Why the New Chinese Pickup Will Use CNG
The importer claims it plans to revive a segment abandoned by traditional brands, as the last pickup powered by CNG and gasoline was no longer sold in the Argentine market a year ago, which was the Ford Ranger 2.5. In the neighboring country, these models serve customers who do not need abundant torque at low RPMs from diesel engines or who prefer a cheaper fuel.
It is worth mentioning that CNG stands for Compressed Natural Gas, a raw material found in subterranean porous rocks, usually limestone or sandstones. It is an alternative that produces less carbon monoxide during combustion.
Due to its physical state dissipating more easily into the atmosphere, CNG also represents a safer option compared to liquid fuels, as it is less flammable in cases of leaks, for example.
The prices of the new Chinese pickup JMC Grand Avenue have not yet been defined; however, the model will feature equipment found in more expensive models, such as the giants Chevrolet Silverado and Ford F-150: a retractable ladder on the bed cover, retractable side steps, and a 10-inch multimedia system with Android Auto and Apple Carplay, electronic parking brake, six airbags, among others.
New Maverick Lobo Pickup Will Also Arrive Soon
While there is no further information about the new CNG pickup from China, the new Maverick Lobo 2025 has recently been launched, bringing a series of updates that promise to make the competition even more concerned. The model will arrive with a refreshed design and the much-anticipated hybrid 4×4 version.
It is worth mentioning that the model was originally launched in the automotive market in 2020 and became a sales success in the segment of intermediate pickups. Now, in its 2025 version, the model has received considerable visual improvements. Additionally, it also features new technologies such as a 13.2-inch touchscreen multimedia center compatible with wireless Apple Carplay and Android Auto, and much more.
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